Wind Development Helps Local Counties Prosper

This week in Pampa T. Boone Pickens is expected to have a town meeting to discuss a planned wind farm in Roberts and Gray counties.

Mesa Power announced last week the purchase of 1,000 wind turbines to be built in the Panhandle.

That's just the start of an economic boom for the entire panhandle.

A site like this might become a regular one if you drive around different rural areas soon.

"I think we could just see miles and miles of wind turbines and a new source of revenue they've never had before." James Wester said, a wind energy lawyer.

Their's already one major wind farm in Oldham County and it's allowed a once struggling county to get back on their feet.

"This will allow us to do a few things we've been putting off because of our high tax rate," said Judge Don Allred, judge of Oldham County.

In order to lure wilderado to their county Oldham officials let the wind farm make yearly payments at a set amount instead of taxes.

But in nine more years the wind farm will start paying taxes to the county.

"It'll come on our tax roll at about 100 to 150 million dollars which would more than double our tax base," Judge Allred said.

The millions upon millions of dollars in potential tax revenue can reach further than county lines.

Many experts believe the wind industry will benefit the entire region.

"I believe this is something that'll help us for many many years into the future. And as the industry grows I think all the citizens of the Panhandle are going to reep the benefits of this," Judge Allred said.

Experts say this is all going to be held up until transmission lines come to take the power to the rest of the state.

After controversial comments from President Donald Trump over the weekend, multiple teams in the NFL joined together, taking a knee and linking arms during the national anthem to show solidarity to remarks they saw as being divisive.

After controversial comments from President Donald Trump over the weekend, multiple teams in the NFL joined together, taking a knee and linking arms during the national anthem to show solidarity to remarks they saw as being divisive.